Wrench



Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

j UNIT ILL AM H. KriwIsH,

or IPAINESVILLE, OHIO.

WRENCH.

Application filed my 7, 1924. Serial No. 711,576.

This invention relates to wrenches. More particularly it comprises wrenches of a type adapted to be quickly adjusted to the object to which they areapplied and to be locked in clamping relation therewith with a minimum of adjustment.

4 One difficulty with wrenches of this type is found to be the ease with which the adjusted positionmay be disturbed when the plishment of the foregoing and related ends,-

said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the" following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such CllSClOSGC]; 1 means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in'which the prin+ ciple of the invention may be used. I

In said annexed drawings I Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a wrench embodying the principle of the invention vwith the adjusting worm thereofout' of engagement with the rack teeth; Fig. 2 is a iew similar to: the view in Fig. l'showing' .he jaw port-ion of the wrench with the-adjusting worm engaged with therack teeth;

Fig.- 3 is a top plan view of the wrench as shown in Fig. 2; 4' is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the adjusting worm and its associated mechanism; and Fig. 5 is an end view of the adjusting worm showing the cutting away of the threads upon one side. I While the principle of the invention may be embodied in other forms of construction, the device illustrated is that of the conventional form of monkey wrench having a shank portion 1, terminating in a handle portion 2 at one end and a fixed jaw portion 3 at the opposite end. The inner edge of the shank is provided with a series of teeth forming a rack 4. A movable jaw'5 is sup ported upona sleeve 6, preferably formed" integrally therewith and adapted to slidingly engage the shank of the body portion of the wrench. The movable jawlsection of the wrench, immediately behind the movable tending transversely thereof said cutout portion extending toa point on a line with or a little beyond the base of the rack teeth the wrench. V j a Upon onelsideof the cutout portion an inclined web 8 is provided which partially when the same is engaged over the shank of '60 jaw." is provided with a cutout portion 17 excloses the cutout portion of the movable jaw l section'and provides a downwardly inclined cam face 9 on its rearward edge for a pur pose tobe presently described? At each end of the cutout portion of the movable jaw a 1 recess is provided through which atpin 11,-

adapted to serve as a support for a worm12, is secured by having. its forward end .13 screw-threadedly engaged within the recess there provided. The worm is provided with a central longitudinal opening l ljto slidingly engage the 'pin and'is counterbored at;its rearwardend to provide a recess 15' to re-v ceive one end of a coiled spring 16, th'e other end of which abuts againstthe'rearward inner face of the cutout portion of themovable jaw section of'the wrench The worin' "is of somewhat less length thanthe space provided by the cutout portion in the movable section of the wrench; and thus a movement longitudinally of the pin'fwhen forced.

ifiearwardly against the spring is provided or. 1

The outer surface of'the worm is provided with screw-threads 17, which are interrupted along one longitudinal side to provide clearance of the'worm above theouter ends of the rack teeth, as is clearly shown in' Fig. 1. The screw-threaded portion of the worm projects beyond the body portion thereof in line with the web on the movable jaw heretofore referred to, and the end face 18 of the interruptedscrew-thread is adapted to abut against the cam face 9 of said web andto. coact therewith to force the worm rearwardly on the pin. iVhen the worm is thus moved it will compress the springlfi within caused by turning the worm. in a counterthe recess at its end, such movement being clockwise direction. When thus turned the portion of the worm having the interrupted threads is brought immediately above the ,worm and the movable j awis provided (for so :thatthe.screw-threads.of the worm will be adequately interenga'ged with the teeth of therackzbefore clamping action of the movable faw. against ,the object to be engaged is rack teeth and the movable jaw is thus free to be shifted longitudinally of the sh'ank to any desired position. a

When the worm is turned in a clockwise direction, the pressure ofthe cam -faces of the worm and the movable jaw is relieved. This rotation of the worm engages the screw threads'with the rack teeth and holds the worm against free movement. As soon as thecamattace v-18 clearsthe cam face 9, the,

movable jaw is. free .to move rearwardly and where a spr1ngl6 of suflicient strength 18 employed, the forward inner face of the cut outhportion offthe movable ja-w will be, ,moved" into contact with the forward end'of the worm. Upon further rotation of the worm, :clamping .adj ustment of the movable jaw toward tl e --fixed jaw will he -brought about. The construction is. such, however, that sufiicient relative movement between the fought about Thus there. is no danger of 1 the wrench slipping offthev object' after clam ing adjustment is made, due, to the insu cient engagement ,of the screw-threads withtherack teeth. Likewise, Where a loose fit upon the 'object operated 'uponis adequate "KIlClmIEPQZLtQCl adjustments to different faces of the. same are necessary, themovablejaw, I ma bee-maintained inthe set .position in jdetiilit ely, the ,wrench after each application of the same to new rt'aces'of the object operated on and the need for readjustment v of Other modesot applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the "one explained, changelbeing made as regards means stated by any, of the following claims,

the mechanism herein disclosed, provided} the o ly-the equivalent of such stated means he employed.

v H '1 therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim, as my invention 1. :A wrench havlnga shank, a aw fixed to said shank,,a series of rackteeth provided on one side" ofsaid. shank, a movable jaw engaged for longitudinal movement on said shank for'co-operation with said 'fiXed aw in engaging an object, a worm"having screw 'tliie'ads interrupted along a longitudinal line affording clearance from said rack teeth, a ii pin on said movable jaw for rotatably supporting said worm, and cam faces on said movable jaw and worm co-acting to shift said worm longitudinally of, sald pm when said worm .lsrotated out-ol' en gagement with said racl r teeth Y a 2. A wrench having ashank,-a jaw fixed to said shank, series-of rack teethprovid'ed von one. side ofsaid shank, a movable aw ens gaged for longitudinal movement on said shank for co-operation with said fixed jaw in engaging an object, a worm having screwthreads interrupted. a'longa longitudinal line affording clearance from'said rack teeth, a

pin..,onsaid vmovable jaw for rotatablyi sup} porting sa d worm, acoil'ed spring mounted on said pin between the rearward face of the worm and the ad acent face of the movable V jaw, and cam faces onsaid' movabl'e j aw and \vor'inco-acting-with said spring to shift said i1 Worm,longitudinally of said pin whenfsaid worm is rotated into and out of engagement with said ra'ck teeth, 7 i

3. A wrench having a shank, [a jaw fixed tosaid'shanlr, a series of i'acl "teeth provided --on. one side' of said shank, ai'novable jaw en- .gaged for longitudinal movement on said shank for (to-operation with saldfixed aw in engaging an ob ect, a worm having scre'wthreads interrupted along alongitudinal line iafford nggclearanc'e from said rack teeth, a

tension of said spring when said worm is rotated in one direction .and' .to' permit said spring to move said jaw rearwardly against said worm when said worm is rotated in the reverse direction.

Signed by me, this 3 day of May, 1924,

' WVILLIAMl-Ii KEVVISH. 

